Fourth House Home and Roots
The fourth house sits at the bottom of the chart, furthest from public view, and that position is the reading. It covers home, family of origin, ancestry and what you retreat to when nobody is watching.
- Governs
- Family, origins, private life
Questions this house answers
Where do I feel at home? What did I inherit? What do I need in order to feel safe?
If this house is empty
An empty fourth house does not mean an empty home life. Read the sign on its cusp instead.
Related sign
The Fourth House: Home and Roots
The fourth house sits at the very bottom of the chart, the point farthest from public view, and that position is the meaning. It covers home, family of origin, inherited traits and the private foundation you come back to. Its cusp is called the imum coeli, the "bottom of the sky."
What It Reveals
The sign on the fourth house describes the atmosphere in which you feel most at ease. A Cancer or Taurus fourth house tends toward cozy, settled homes; an Aquarius or Sagittarius fourth house suggests a home that is open, unconventional or frequently on the move. Planets here add their own voice to your private life and your relationship with your roots.
Home in Two Senses
The fourth house covers both the actual place you live and the felt sense of home. Many people find these differ: a house can be perfectly comfortable and still not feel like home, or a small rented room can. The sign on the fourth house cusp is a good prompt for asking what you need around you in order to feel that you belong.
Family Patterns
Astrologers also read the fourth house for inherited habits, the ways of handling money, conflict or affection that you picked up in childhood without choosing. Naming them is the first step to keeping what works and revising what does not. A chart is one way to start the conversation, though family stories are usually better sources than planets.